After Hours: Hard Drugs; Soft on Crime (From the Archives)

Summary

Full Measure After Hours: "Hard Drugs; Soft on Crime (From the Archives)"

Release Date: July 24, 2025
Host: Sharyl Attkisson
Guest: Nathan Vasquez, Multnomah County District Attorney

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1. Introduction

In this archival episode of Full Measure After Hours, host Sharyl Attkisson delves deep into the tumultuous period in Portland, Oregon, surrounding the controversial legalization of hard drugs. Through an in-depth conversation with Nathan Vasquez, the newly appointed District Attorney of Multnomah County, the podcast unpacks the ramifications of soft-on-crime policies and the subsequent community backlash.

2. Background of Multnomah County's Drug Policy

Portland's venture into legalizing hard drugs, including heroin and fentanyl, was part of a broader ballot measure known as Measure 110. This initiative, influenced by external think tanks and backed by figures like George Soros, aimed to address drug addiction through decriminalization and treatment rather than incarceration.

Nathan Vasquez (03:37): "Portland has been through an immense upheaval in the last, you know, four, you know, 10 years."

3. Impact of Legalizing Hard Drugs

The implementation of Measure 110 led to a surge in drug-related issues. Portland became a hotspot for drug tourism, attracting individuals from neighboring states seeking access to legalized hard drugs. This influx contributed to an alarming rise in overdose deaths and public drug use.

Nathan Vasquez (06:09): "We saw people coming from outside of our state to be here for that purpose."

4. Rise in Crime and Community Response

Coinciding with drug legalization, Portland experienced a dramatic increase in various crimes, including homicides, property crimes, and vehicle thefts. The defunding of the police force further exacerbated these issues, leading to strained relationships between law enforcement and the community.

Nathan Vasquez (08:30): "We went from averaging about 20 to 30 homicides in the city of Portland to over 100."

This surge in crime catalyzed public dissatisfaction, culminating in the election of Nathan Vasquez, who ran on a platform opposing Measure 110 and advocating for stricter law enforcement.

5. Election of Nathan Vasquez

Vasquez's campaign focused on restoring public safety and accountability within the criminal justice system. His message resonated with voters who felt abandoned by previous soft-on-crime policies.

Nathan Vasquez (10:53): "It's okay to hold people accountable if they break the law... We need a functioning system."

The shift in public sentiment was evident when voters rescinded Measure 110 and elected Vasquez as the new District Attorney, signaling a desire for change.

6. Current Strategies and Goals

As DA, Vasquez aims to reverse the negative trends by:

• Reducing Homicide Rates: Implementing strategies to significantly lower the number of homicides in Portland.

• Addressing Overdose Deaths: Initiating programs to combat the overdose crisis through better treatment and prevention measures.

• Combating Public Drug Use: Enforcing existing drug laws to decrease the visibility of drug use in public spaces.

Nathan Vasquez (20:32): "Seeing our homicide rates come down, seeing public use of these hard drugs see that change, and to see a dramatic drop in our overdose deaths."

7. Marijuana Legalization Effects

While hard drugs were decriminalized, marijuana legalization brought its own set of challenges. Although legal, the marijuana industry grapples with issues like increased robberies and thefts due to the cash-heavy nature of the business, compounded by unresolved federal policies.

Nathan Vasquez (15:27): "We see significant robberies and issues related to the marijuana industry... There can be ramifications that come with that."

8. National Perspective on Crime Policies

Vasquez observes a national pendulum swing from ultra-progressive, soft-on-crime approaches to more balanced, middle-ground strategies that emphasize both accountability and rehabilitation.

Nathan Vasquez (18:06): "It has swung back to the middle... holding folks accountable, but doing it in a very reasonable, compassionate way."

9. Challenges and Controversies

One of the significant controversies during the previous DA's tenure involved the commutation of sentences for violent criminals, including those convicted of sexual assault. Vasquez expresses strong opposition to these actions, highlighting the potential dangers of undermining public safety.

Nathan Vasquez (21:19): "I was very shocked that that was even a possibility... particularly those involved in sexual assault."

Internally, while there were differing opinions within the DA's office, Vasquez received strong support from his colleagues and the DA's union, reinforcing the community's demand for a robust legal approach.

10. Homelessness and Crime

The homelessness crisis in Portland is intricately linked to the rise in crime. With increasing numbers of vulnerable individuals on the streets, there has been a spike in violent crimes against them, further straining the city's resources and exacerbating the safety concerns.

Nathan Vasquez (27:48): "They are our most vulnerable victims... it's something that I've been very diligent with and very vigilant to make sure that my office is really doing everything we can to help that part of our community."

11. Collaboration with City Leadership

Vasquez actively collaborates with the mayor to address homelessness and crime. They share the goal of reducing visible homelessness and ensuring public safety, though the challenges remain substantial.

Nathan Vasquez (25:48): "I'm fully supportive of that because I certainly want to see individuals ... into housing."

12. Conclusion

The episode underscores the complexities of drug policy reform and its profound impact on community safety and public trust in law enforcement. Nathan Vasquez's tenure as DA represents a pivotal shift towards reinstating stringent criminal justice measures, aiming to rectify the unintended consequences of previous liberal policies.

Nathan Vasquez (25:15): "The last thing I ever want to see is that victims are left out of that conversation."

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Notable Quotes:

• Cheryl Achison (03:14): "This is your first week on the job."

• Nathan Vasquez (10:53): "It's okay to hold people accountable if they break the law... We need a functioning system."

• Nathan Vasquez (18:06): "It has swung back to the middle... holding folks accountable, but doing it in a very reasonable, compassionate way."

• Nathan Vasquez (25:15): "The last thing I ever want to see is that victims are left out of that conversation."

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This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the podcast episode, highlighting the critical discussions between Sharyl Attkisson and Nathan Vasquez on the intricate dynamics of drug policy, crime, and community response in Portland, Oregon.

Transcript

[Cheryl Achison]

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I hope you enjoy this special from the Archives edition of Full Measure After Hours. Hi everybody, Cheryl Achison here. Welcome to another edition of Full Measure After Hours. Today we are off to Portland, Oregon for my story Hard Drugs, Soft on Crime Oregon is attempting a big turnaround after voters approved a controversial law a couple of years back that, believe it or not, legalized hard drugs, including heroin, fentanyl, opioids, other hard drugs. Today on this podcast, I'm going to speak with Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez, that's in the Portland area. I sat down with him his first week on the job. Such a fascinating case because after they tried that experiment with the hard drugs for a couple of years, it just proved to be disastrous. And even in very, very ultra liberal Portland, Oregon and Oregon at large, the legislature decided to rescind that controversial law and do a big turnaround, try to dial things back. A lot of other things happened about the same time they legalized or allowed the use of these hard drugs. There was also an explosion in homelessness which in many places like Oregon coincided with the fentanyl opening up at the southern border. So much fentanyl coming in and so many drug overdoses, so much mental illness. They also did a big defund the police movement in Oregon during this time period. So all of these things together dovetailed to greatly increase crime and other problems resulting in voters voting out the supposedly soft on crime George Soros funded prosecutor that had been there for a couple of years and voting in Nathan Vasquez and I think you're going to find this conversation with him fascinating.

This is your first week on the job.

[Nathan Vasquez]

First week on the job is the.

Multnomah County District Attorney in just.

[Cheryl Achison]

We'll dig in in a moment, but if you can, in just a paragraph, what would you say if people aren't familiar with Portland? Is the story of Portland like where you are now in terms of the criminal justice system and what's been happening? Again, I'll ask some specific questions, but how would you tell it on the book flap of a book about it?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Portland has been through an immense upheaval in the last, you know, four to 10 years. You know, we started seeing some changes and then in 2000, you know, Portland, it's no secret, we went through a.

Massive series of riots.

We had a new DA come in.

That was backed by Soros.

And you know, there was a lot.

Of changes that occurred. And unfortunately, at the same time we.

Saw immense spikes in gun violence, property.

Crimes and crime in general throughout our city.

[Cheryl Achison]

Would you say that this community experienced what some are calling on a national level, soft on crime policies?

[Nathan Vasquez]

What I would say is that those policies certainly didn't help. There were a lot of factors that.

Led to why, you know, why we.

Saw these rises in crime, but certainly those approaches didn't help us when our.

Community needed it the most.

[Cheryl Achison]

Are there any digestible, simple ways you can explain some of the changes that happened and what the net effect was?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Yeah, I mean, there was certainly a.

Defund the police movement.

There was really just an outright campaign to discourage police from even coming here. And we saw dramatic drops in our.

Numbers of law enforcement officers.

We saw some dramatic changes around our drug laws. And those things combined with some others.

Really affected kind of the day in, day out work in the criminal justice system.

[Cheryl Achison]

I remember hearing as an outsider that here they had passed a law that legalized possession of heroin, all kinds of hard drugs, which I think is in violation of federal law, but it was tolerated here. What was the thinking behind that and what was the net effect?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Well, it's hard for me to give the thinking in the sense that, because I so disagreed with it even at the time that it was proposed. But this was brought from kind of.

An outside think tank group from the east coast.

And the reality is that Oregon as a, you know, small to mid sized state, you know, when it comes to population and things of that nature, you know, we were the perfect environment for.

For someone to, to fund this ballot measure approach. And it was an extreme idea that.

You know, had A significant impact upon our community.

[Cheryl Achison]

What was the impact? Did a lot more people, do you think, begin carrying and using these hard drugs?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Well, we saw a few different things and certainly that. That was one of them.

We saw people coming from outside of our. Of our state to.

To be here for that purpose.

And we saw just sadly skyrocketing rates of overdose deaths.

We saw public use just explode in our city.

It's something that we have started to see turnaround and it's something we're working on hard. But it had an effect, both, you.

Know, a real human tragic effect and.

That people we saw dying every day.

[Cheryl Achison]

How long was that law in effect and when was it overturned and how.

[Nathan Vasquez]

It was approximately like three.

About three years is what it was.

Three to four years somewhere right in there.

Because it came into effect, I want to say, in 2020, 2021.

And then it.

It was changed by the state legislature under House Bill 4002.

And that was just this past year.

[Cheryl Achison]

This is a liberal or progressive community overall, correct?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Very.

[Cheryl Achison]

Do you think the community here favored trying these things, but as a whole have decided they didn't work? I mean, we noted that in your election, your opponent, the incumbent, still got quite a bit of the percentage of votes.

[Nathan Vasquez]

Yeah.

Well, when we talk about this particular.

This particular ballot measure, what happened was it was packaged in a certain way.

That made it sound very appealing.

It was packaged that, oh, it was.

Going to provide all this treatment and.

It was going to do all these wonderful things. And unfortunately it failed to deliver on those.

And at the same time, it slid.

In and by the way, we're going.

To decriminalize all these hard drugs.

And so it really was one that I think the public felt like they.

Were sold one thing and got something totally different.

And here, just in this kind of past year when it was repealed, what happened was that the public really came.

Out strong and said, this is not working.

And it was heard loud and clear by the state legislature and they made.

The changes that were necessary.

[Cheryl Achison]

Do you know, was this the only place in the country that had a.

[Nathan Vasquez]

Law like that that was so formalized and widespread? Yes, I believe Washington and California had similar, but not the same.

[Cheryl Achison]

What has happened to the crime rates or the crime statistics in this area over the past five, ten years?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Well, you know, it certainly had some. A dramatic spike, and that was in the, you know, 2022 to 2023 range.

It started to come down a bit.

And that's very positive and I'm very.

Very happy and excited about that. But we're still a long ways away from where we should be.

You know, it went. When we're talking about our homic, we.

Went from averaging about 20 to 30 homicides in the city of Portland to over 100. So we saw some really dramatic increases.

And, you know, when you're doing this, in this line of work, each one.

Of those is a family, and each.

One of those involves, you know, a.

Whole just huge ripple effect where it dramatically impacts the community and traumatizes a great deal of people. The costs are terrible. It just is all around just a dramatic effect.

But that wasn't the only area. I mean, we saw dramatic increases in property crimes.

We saw stolen motor vehicles, you know, just skyrocket. And we.

That means that the everyday person who.

Needs to get to work or take.

Their kid to school and their car is gone, it has huge impact on this community. And that really was something that, you know, propelled me forward to seek office.

And to seek some changes.

[Cheryl Achison]

To what do you attribute those rises in crime?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Well, I mean, did Covid play a part? Sure, it did. You know, I. I also saw that the city went through a really dramatic time during 2020 with the.

With the George Floyd protest and riots.

And unfortunately, out of that, we lost.

A lot of police officers.

Our law enforcement, you know, here in the county, saw dramatic drops in their numbers, and that, you know, makes it difficult to really get on top of.

Some of these issues.

And so, you know, that message also was one where, you know, the partnership.

Within our judicial system, you know, our criminal justice system was broken.

You know, it was the message received.

From law enforcement loud and clear was that the DA's office didn't value them and didn't want to be their partner.

And that was something that, you know.

For those of us that worked in the DA's office, day in, day out.

We heard loud and clear, and we.

Wanted to see that change.

[Cheryl Achison]

As you were running for election, what was your message, and how was that counter to the message of the incumbent?

[Nathan Vasquez]

My message was very straightforward and clear, which was that it's okay to hold.

People accountable if they break the law, they should be held accountable, and we.

Can do that in a compassionate manner.

But that doesn't mean we don't hold people accountable.

And through it all, it was that.

We need a functioning system. We need to have a partnership with.

Law enforcement, and it's okay to be a prosecutor. And that was. That was the message that I. That I put out and made sure that people knew that they had a.

Dedicated professional with over Two decades of experience who wanted to do this job and do it for the right reasons.

[Cheryl Achison]

As you've experienced, the ebb and flow of opinions and what people think is the answer to the problems here. The same debate is taking place in communities across the country.

[Nathan Vasquez]

It does.

[Cheryl Achison]

What kinds of things have you observed about, again, the ebb and flow of what's happening in other big cities?

[Nathan Vasquez]

You know, I think as criminal justice evolves, what we're seeing is that, you know, there.

There were some.

Some big swings in 2020 and.

And through those years, but we're starting.

To see people come back to that.

What's hopefully a very. A good kind of middle position, which is, hey, we want to see accountability.

But we can still find ways to.

Help individuals that find themselves in the criminal justice system. We can do things to get them into treatment.

We can do things to help stabilize.

Their life so that they don't commit more crimes.

I think, particularly in this community, that.

Is the mandate that is very clear.

They want to see people get out.

[Cheryl Achison]

Of the system as you go ahead.

[Nathan Vasquez]

And just across the United States, we've seen that certainly down in Los Angeles.

They'Ve made a big change. In California, they passed Proposition 36.

There's been a move, I really believe, throughout the country to say, hey, we want reasonable solutions.

We want to make sure that there's accountability.

But. But done very thoughtfully, as you worked.

[Cheryl Achison]

In recent years under this changing time, what would you say was the philosophy that was dictating how things were done?

[Nathan Vasquez]

When we talk about in the. In the past four years, the philosophy.

Was very heavy onto social justice movement.

And there are a lot of positive, wonderful aspects of that. But at the same time, the message.

Still needs to be very clear that this system here works and that people.

Will be held accountable when it comes.

[Cheryl Achison]

To money and funding. Is it more expensive to handle the problems that arise when you're not prosecuting some crimes, or do you think it's more expensive to try to prosecute the crimes that were being kind of let go?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Well, I mean, there's always a lot.

Of different, you know, studies out there on that.

It is.

It is vastly more expensive when you let crime get out of control and.

Then you have to try to pay for all of the ramifications of that.

You know, I've seen some studies here recently done locally about, you know, when.

We talk about these murders, you know.

And I mentioned that we saw, you know, a.

Over 100 murders in a single year.

In Portland, and each one of those.

Can cost millions of dollars.

And you know, if we do work to both, I think there's a very.

Valid role of prevention and working inside of our communities and working with our community based organizations to prevent those crimes, but also is having a professionally run.

Office that deals with some of the.

Smaller crimes as they build up to.

Some of those bigger ones, that we.

Can also play a really important role.

In heading that off and, you know.

Not having to suffer those kind of really massive costs that come with these very tragic crimes.

[Cheryl Achison]

Is it fair to say that at a community level trying out things such as legalizing possession of hard drugs like heroin, that was just a failure?

[Nathan Vasquez]

I've been very clear in saying that was a failure for this community.

We saw it failing, not just the.

Community, but the individuals.

And it's not that I believe that we need to lock people up, but.

At the same time, we need to be very intentional and thoughtful and make sure that we don't allow these situations to get out of control.

We need to intervene with people and try to help them get stability and get them into treatment.

[Cheryl Achison]

How have marijuana laws impacted the job of prosecutions and trying to reduce crime?

[Nathan Vasquez]

It's certainly changed it in a lot of ways.

You know, we, we don't deal with marijuana in the sense of it's. It's legalized here in Orego and it's become a business.

There have been some ramifications with that. We see, you know, significant robberies and issues related to the marijuana industry, so we have to deal with that. There's still the federal question that's unresolved.

[Cheryl Achison]

But which is that this is illegal from a federal level, but it's being tolerated in states that have legalized it.

[Nathan Vasquez]

Yes. And I mean, you know, certainly I would love for us to find a balance with the federal system because it affects everything like banking. You know, these are in Oregon. These are legal businesses that are doing a lot of transactions, but that means.

They deal with a lot of cash. And that means that they can be very vulnerable to robberies and thefts and.

Things that we've seen quite a few homicides associated with that. And you know, what I've seen is that as this has developed through time, these businesses are trying to become, you know, very professional and credible and do the right things. But.

But it can be difficult when there are certain barriers and limitations to how they operate.

[Cheryl Achison]

I don't have a position on legalized marijuana, but we've covered it in different states and have been pretty much told that wherever it's been legalized, I don't know which if it's chicken or egg. But mental illness, homelessness, crime, and even the illegal marijuana trade, which was the hope was it would diminish if marijuana was legalized, seems to be blooming because it's so much cheaper to buy the untaxed version of the marijuana on the black market. So it just seems like it's not worked out well.

[Nathan Vasquez]

Well, there certainly are issues and problems.

And I think we see that whether it's alcohol or marijuana, different ones, there.

Can be ramifications that come with that.

And as a society and as a.

Community, we try to deal with those.

And it's one that, you know, my.

Position is always this. As a prosecutor, my job is to prosecute the laws that are on the books.

And I don't, I don't make the laws and I, but I make sure that I do my job in my role. And this is one where in the state of Oregon they've said loud and clear that marijuana is going to be illegal. So that I go forward with that understanding.

[Cheryl Achison]

Do you have a sense that on a national level the proverbial pendulum has swung from more of a softer on crime mentality to more of a tougher on crime mentality?

[Nathan Vasquez]

I think it certainly has come back to the middle and that's. So it has swung, I think away from the, you know, if I don't personally like those terms, but, but it has from the what I'll call ultra.

Progressive side, it's swung, I think, back.

Towards the middle, which I, I try to find myself in kind of most squarely is, you know, to, to do things in a way which I am.

Holding folks accountable, but doing it in a very reasonable, compassionate way.

[Cheryl Achison]

And then. Can you explain you touched upon it, but sorry, how Oregon is a good test market or market for ideas that, to try out things that are controversial. Can you explain that?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Well, it's our ballot measure, our ballot measure system or process. It's just that for this market, you know, the investment compared to like California or New York or, you know, even Washington, you know, our, our state, you.

Know, we only need to get a.

Certain number of signatures to get, you know, a measure on the, on the ballot. And then once that happens, it is.

A question of, well, what's the cost.

To then put together a campaign to support that. And so we've seen that as something that's occurred in our state quite a few times. And it certainly was the case with.

Ballot Measure 110, with the legalization of a lot of those heart drugs.

[Cheryl Achison]

Any other measures that come to mind that that happened with.

[Nathan Vasquez]

There was one here just this past cycle that was a, a tax on.

Large corporations that was then going to turn around and give everyone.

I think it was like 1300-1500 dollars.

[Cheryl Achison]

Per year universal income or something.

[Nathan Vasquez]

Something of that nature. Yes. That one was proposed this, this last.

Time and it was put on the.

Ballot and it did not succeed.

[Cheryl Achison]

So in some cases, outsiders come into Oregon and get these ballot measures passed to have it lead the way. Maybe in some agenda.

[Nathan Vasquez]

Ballot Measure 110, the legalization of hard.

Drugs, that was the prime example.

[Cheryl Achison]

What was that group from the east coast you said?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Oh, back in, when they, when they.

Did the ballot measure, it had a.

Slightly different name, but it was a drug policy alliance was the big ones that at least at the end how they were named.

[Cheryl Achison]

When you look at the next four years, what would you consider a measure of success for you?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Well, definitely seeing our homicide rates come.

Down, seeing public use of these hard.

Drugs, see that change, and to see.

A dramatic drop in our overdose deaths.

Those are all things that, you know.

Are very real examples of.

You know, what I would like to see as a whole, I want this community to feel safe.

I want, you know, families to feel like they can use the parks. I want businesses to thrive in our.

Downtown and people to feel.

Feel safe coming back downtown.

[Cheryl Achison]

And then lastly, is there anything that people who don't live here would be very surprised to find out about the criminal justice system and how it's operated in recent years? Anything that surprised you when it was happening when you're working as a prosecutor?

[Nathan Vasquez]

You know, there were some surprises that I think really helped spur me to this, this role, which is that, you know, some of the changes, there was a, you know, one around, you know, there's commutations ones. That was a big controversial one that.

Came up in 2023 when our governor left office and commuted the sentences of a lot of very violent criminals.

But also the.

The district attorneys in each county were granted the authority to also do their own form. I'm going to call it roughly commutations.

But we are allowed to enter into.

Agreements to take someone that may be.

Either in prison or, or has already served a sentence, but essentially to wipe.

Out their sentence and get rid of it completely.

That means it can include taking people who are currently serving a term in prison and, and setting it up so.

That they get out.

And that was something that played out.

Right at the end of my predecessor's.

Term on a very violent, very just terrible crime. It was A murder, A murder and kind of home invasion, burglary of three.

Different families, one of which there was a sexual assault. I was very shocked that that was.

Even a possibility, you know, and so it's something that, while I see some value certainly in individuals that have served their sentence maybe on a smaller crime, like an old drug charge or something.

And now they want to be productive members of the community. Absolutely, let's do that.

But when we're talking about violent criminals.

And particularly those involved in sexual assault, that's.

That's pretty shocking to me that that's.

Something that we can.

We can do.

[Cheryl Achison]

What was the justification given for that?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Twofold, I suppose.

One is that it was believed that it was an excessive sentence, which certainly.

Didn'T shock my conscience, the sentence.

And the other one was, I guess, simply to.

To release this individual.

It's one that now it's.

It's back to me to review this petition.

I'm going to take a look at.

It and make my decisions.

[Cheryl Achison]

When will that be?

[Nathan Vasquez]

I think there was a hearing scheduled in February, but ultimately I'll have to.

Look at and decide whether I want to go down that road or not. When there were four specific ones that got set over.

[Cheryl Achison]

And then lastly, I just thought of one final thing. Obviously, when you're a prosecutor working in an office, you're doing your job, but clearly there are vastly different ideas and theories about what that job should be. Was there a lot of discussion about that among people working these cases in the last four years? Was. Were there a lot of people who disagreed internally with how things were being done, or do people mostly keep their. Clearly you disagree, but do most attorneys keep their nose to the grindstone and just not think about it? What would you say?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Well, I would say that day in, day out, you know, the folks that.

Work in this office work extremely hard, and they are very nose to the grindstone.

And sometimes it's very hard to come up for air and say, wait a minute, do I. Do I agree or disagree with the. With what's going on? But I will say in this office.

The folks looked outside.

It was just.

It was.

When you walked out the courthouse doors, we saw the changes in the city, and it was.

It was terrible.

And I know that I was not alone in feeling that way because the.

The union of district attorneys supported me in this election because they saw that, too. They saw that this community needed more, they needed a better approach, and that's what I'm here to give.

[Cheryl Achison]

Anything else you want to add?

[Nathan Vasquez]

No. I mean, I've.

My big.

One of my big. I would say the other part that drove me was that while I believe.

The social justice movement is very important.

The last thing I ever want to.

See is that victims are left out of that conversation.

And that was something that I was very concerned about. And as a prosecutor doing this for over 20 years, serving families and victims of crime, that's something that can never.

Be lost sight of. And it is always a huge priority.

For me and for this office.

[Cheryl Achison]

Do you partner and meet with the mayor? Is that part. I mean, I know this is your first week on the job, but is that part of the thing to have discussions and if so, what are you talking about?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Yeah, well, I do meet with the mayor. In fact, we, we talked throughout the campaign time period.

I met with him before each of us took office.

And so it's something that I do.

Regularly meet with him on.

And, you know, we spent a lot of time talking about this subject.

It's a huge issue with our community. And he's put out some very, very aspirational goals.

And I am, I'm fully supportive of that because I certainly want to see individuals who are, you know, in such a state, living on the streets. I want to see them get into some stabilized shelter and, you know, into housing. I want that.

And so, of course I want to help support that.

But these are some very lofty goals he's put out. And I'm, I, I am hopeful and, and I want it as much as anyone else. I just hope that he'll find the.

Support along the way to get there.

[Cheryl Achison]

Like, what are his goals is. He said he wants to reduce, you know, get rid of it completely, visibly.

[Nathan Vasquez]

Or I believe that was part of it. It was also that there would be enough shelter space for everyone who's currently.

Unhoused that there would. That he would essentially, within a year, turn this all around.

I mean, it's. They were pretty lofty goals. And, you know, I. There, I'm, I'm a little bit of two minds. One is I appreciate someone that puts out a, a big proposal and goal.

And says I'm going to shoot for this.

And hey, if we come up just a little bit short, we've made a ton of progress. I greatly appreciate that. I really do.

And that's why I'm very supportive of his efforts.

But there's a pragmas in me and I, you know, I be, I tend to be very pragmatic and, and so I, you know, I want to make sure that, you know, we're are we doing all the necessary little individual things and working with, you know, there's a.

Whole host of individuals, whether it's community based organizations, the county, the city, all of these, to make sure that everyone.

Can hopefully work together to get, get.

Us to that goal.

[Cheryl Achison]

How does the homeless crisis impact crime? What you're trying to do?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Yeah, so it's an area that, I think like many west coast cities, we've seen a dramatic explosion in our houseless population. And we've also seen a dramatic, you know, increase in homicides and violent crime inside that community.

Oftentimes they are our most vulnerable victims.

And so it has, it has a.

Huge impact on what we do.

And that's, I mean, at the end.

Of the day, why I'm a huge.

You know, supporter and I'm going to be doing everything I can to help.

The mayor in this area because if.

We can make improvements there, then hopefully that will impact overall crime and help.

Individuals and have less victims and less crime.

[Cheryl Achison]

I'm not sure. It's often said clearly there are a lot of poor people and mentally ill and victims and substance abusers among the homeless population, but there are also bad people who come and hide among the homeless. There are criminals and really bad types that are there too.

[Nathan Vasquez]

I've prosecuted those cases and what I've found is that these folks that are living on the streets, they're vulnerable.

And so unfortunately, there are people that will go and take advantage of them and commit a whole host of terrible crimes.

And it's something that I've been very.

Diligent with and very vigilant to make.

Sure that my office is really doing.

Everything we can to help that part of our community. Okay.

Do you consider yourself a Democrat?

Republican, Independent?

[Cheryl Achison]

Yeah. I know it's a nonpartisan race, but are you public about any?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Yeah, no. I mean, it's, here's, here's how it works in, in Oregon and in Multnomah County.

[Cheryl Achison]

Let me ask it as a question.

[Nathan Vasquez]

Yeah.

[Cheryl Achison]

Since he asked it, are you a Democrat or Republican or something else?

[Nathan Vasquez]

Something else. So I, I consider myself independent.

It's a nonpartisan position.

And for me, I've really kind of.

Built my career on not picking a side, but really staying with what's the law and how do I prosecute it. And how that plays out very directly.

Is that here in Portland, as we.

Know, politics comes in and we've had.

Some dramatic riots and protest, and I've.

Prosecuted equally both sides. I've prosecuted antifa and I prosecuted the.

Proud boys when, you know, on the.

On the far other side. So I try to be very balanced in my approach and the only question.

For me is, is someone breaking the law?

That's the key.

[Cheryl Achison]

My whole story on this topic airs Sunday on full measure February 16th. I will also be talking with a police official about the trends and some recovering addicts. You might be surprised to hear what they have to say about that law that for a couple of years allowed the use of heroin, fentanyl, et cetera. To find out how to watch Full Measure, go to Cheryl Atkison.com, click the full Measure tab for a list of stations and times. Also, if it's easier for you, we feed the program live on Sundays online at FullMeasure News around 9:35am Eastern Time and then it's posted there thereafter. So if you're listening to this after February 16th, you can just go to FullMeasure News and watch the program there. I hope you enjoyed this podcast and that if you did, you'll leave a terrific review. Subscribe to it and share it with your friends. And check out my other podcast, the Cheryl atkison Podcast. And don't forget, if you've been thinking about it but haven't decided whether you should buy my most recent bestseller, Now's the Time to Do It. It's called Follow the How Big Pharma Misleads, Obscures and Prevails. It explains a lot about our Corrupted medical establishment and the whole system that's resulted in us really dying and suffering with so many chronic disorders as so much of our medical establishment didn't really seem to care but for treating them but not getting to the bottom of what's causing them. Read some of the five star reviews at Amazon and I think you'll be impressed with how much people say they learned, even those who consider themselves well informed on the topic, and how meticulous documented these anecdotes and this information is in. Follow the science, do your own research, make up your own mind, Think for yourself.